On and Off the Track

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20673, 11 March 1937, Page 6

On and Off the Track

A BUDGET OF NEWS AND VIEWS FIXTURES Racing: March 11, 13—Wellington R.C. March 12, 13—Cromwell J.C, March 13—Birchwood Hunt Club March 13, 17—Ohitlemuri J.C. March 19, 20—Pahiatua R.C. March 20—Stratford R.C. March 20—Otautau R.C. March 20, 22—Westport J.C. March 20. 22—Bay of Plenty J.C. March 27—Greymouth J.C. March 27—Tuapeka County J.C. Maith 27, 29—Auckland R.C. March 27. 29—Feilding J.C. March 27, 29—Walrarapa R.C. March 27, 29, 30—Riverton R.C. March 29, 30—Canterbury J.C. Trotting: larch 13—Wanganui T.C. larch 13—Timaru T.C. March 17—Wyndlium T.C. March 18 or 20—Wyndham T.C. March 27, 29. 31—Metropolitan T.C The Wellington meeting will begin to-day. The first race at Washdyke on Saturday will start at 12.30. The novice jumper Grey Boy, In D, O'Connor’s stable, has gone sore and will not go to Southland for the Easter meetings. The Grasper, who is owned by the chairman of the C.J.C., will also be kept at home to race at the club's autumn fixture. • • • • The Wingatui trainer F. Shaw received a nasty bruising and a broken rib one morning last week when he was knocked over by one of his charges he was leading on to the track.

First acceptances for the Great Easter and Great Autumn, final forfeits for the Champagne Stakes and Challenge Stakes, and entries for other events at the C.J.C. autumn meeting, are due by 5 p.m. to-morrow.

Cock o’ the North, by Royal Mac from Dabchick, has joined F. Shaw’s stable. Last season this horse finished second to Royston In the Pareora Steeplechase at the South Canterbury Hunt Meeting.

Travenna has not yet raced at Trentham, but this has been a good course for Mr J. P. Herlihy, who has done well there with Ventrac and Gold Boa, who previously carried his colours at Wellington meeting.

The 525gns. offered for the Melbourne Cup winner Marabou was less than a tenth of the amount paid for him by Mr C. B. Kellow after his win in the big race eighteen months ago. and in the interim the Marconigram horse has not even paid for his keep.

Coherto, the promising three-year-old pacer which has just come to light in Southland, is by Peter Moko from Lady Evelyn. This mare was foaled in 1911 and consequently was 21 years old when she produced Coherto. Lady Evelyn is by Mambrino King, a horse which was located at Seadown for many years, from Olga, who Is understood to have a dash of thoroughbred blood.

Southland, brother to last year's Nursery Stakes winner Southern Chief, has shown great speed In private, but he displayed nervousness at the barrier In a two-year-old trial at New Brighton on Tuesday. Horsepower, who has had the benefit of a race, comported himself like a seasoned horse. Others which impressed were Jackaranda, Bayard, Sentiment, Waikari Jack an! Lord Zetland. Twos Loose also is known to be smart, and the classic on Saturday promises to arouse unusual interest.

As usual win and place machines will be operated at Trentham to-day. Horses likely to add interest to the proceedings are:— Highweight—Beau Gallant, Waranga, Brigadore. Trial Plate—Nelumbo, Gay Artist, Sunbeam. St. Leger—Wild Chase, Martara. Paupic Handicap—Haughty Winner, Smoke Screen. Royal Chief. Thompson Handicap Friesland. Epris, Travenna (Arctic King if wet). Tlnakori Handicap—Old Surrey, The Bigot, Terry. Railway Handicap—Emissary, Knockfin. Laughing Lass. Silverstream Handicap—Sanhedrin. Stratosphere, Roaming.

It is remarkable how a little extra distance at •times may bring about unexpected results. There was a good illustration of this In the V.R.C. St. Leger in which Peerage outstayed Lord Quex. Prince Quex finished in front of Peerage In the St. George Stakes at Caulfield and in the St. Leger met him un 201 b better terms. Peerage weakened over the last furlong of the woodcliff Handicap at Caulfield. Peerage and Prince Quex met also in the Williamstown Stakes on February 6. and. whereas Prince Quex dead-heated with Golden Promise. Peerage finished in front of only one of the six runners. In the classic Prince Quex met Peerage on 51b. better terms. These figures should hearten Martara's backers today.

According to the weights for the Great Easter and Great Autumn, Wild Chase, Paper Slipper and Trench Fight are rated as the best three-year-olds up to a mile—since Gallio’s breakdown; and Wild Chase and Trench Fight as the best up to a mile and a half. Trench Fight is out of commission, and there is a risk that Paper Slipper may have to be put aside. With a two-year-old like Counterblast also In the paddock, it might appear that their owner has had an unusual run of misfortune. There is another side to the picture, however. So far this season Sir Charles Clifford has been credited with nearly £6OOO by four three-year-olds, three of which have never been sound. Between them Wild Chase (8), Paper Slipper (6), Trench Fight (4), and Top Notch (3) have won nineteen races, in addition to which Trench Fight was second In both Derbies. The three colts, not one of which has ever been really sound, have accounted for £5367. (Wild Chase £2500, Paper Slipper £1552, Trench Fight £1315), and if it had not been a wet season they might have done very little racing.

Paper Slipper is to take his place in the Thompson Handicap field, with a special plate to lighten the pressure on his split hoof. * • « * Cerne Abbas will go on to Ellerslie after the Trentham meeting, and will probably be the only Rlccarton representative at Auckland at Easter. In addition to customary riding fees, R. Beale will receive a retaining fee for piloting Royal Limond in steeplechases this season. Silver Ring established a weight carrying record for the Thompson Handicap when he won last year with 10.6. Tire only previous winner to carry more than ten stone was Waiuku with 10.3, who won the race three times in succession at the end of last century. The time record is 1.378, shared by Reremoana and Autopay. Waiuku's three victories were gained on the old Hutt course, and his best time was 1.43 4-5. Some recent winners of the New Zealand St. Leger have not been high class stayers, even though four years ago La Moderns .set a New Zealand record of 2.561 in the race. Still there are the names of some reaUy good distance horses in the list of winners, among them being Cruciform, Treadmill, Nightfall. Balboa, Kilboy, Amythas. Rapine, Ballymena, Star Stranger and Concentrate, as well as some brilliant ones of the commendation type.

The V.R.C. has adopted a new rule for steeplechases at Flemington. It has resolved that a top-weight Iti a steeplechase shall not carry less than 11.7. and If, an acceptance day, horses with less than that impost or more are withdrawn, the horse next on the list Will be raised to 11.7 and his opponents raised accordingly. For example, if the accepting top-weight has only 11.0 he will be automatically raised 71b as will his opponents. This will operate unfairly to the horses higher in the handicaps. A rise from say 10.7 to 11.7 will be more drastic than one from 9.0 to 10.0.

At a mile and a half, Wild Chase’s performances overshadow those of any other of this season’s three-year-olds, but the fact that he is by Paper Money seems to inspire many people with a tear that he might fai' over the extra two furlongs in the New Zealand St. Leger to-day. It has to be admitted that there is a Paper Money taint when it comes to staying but zhen another sire of speed, Chief Ruler, could leave two Auckland Cup winners in Admiral Drake and Gold Trail, it should not be beyond the realm of possibility for Paper Money to leave one stayer. Wild Chase is at least a stor. better class over a mile and a half than any previous Paper Money horse, and t’ze task set him tomorrow does not look so formidable as that he accomplished in the Dunedin Cun

The following riders have beer, engaged for the Wellington meeting:—A. E. Ellie, Silver Ring; C. Goulsbro Debham, Accomplice, Deficit, Good Sun; H. N. Wiggins, Darecourt, Galteemore; S. Wilson. Friesland, Only One, Sea Wrack, Alunga, Acceptable; L. Dulieu, Lowenberg; W. J. Broughton, Arctic King, Imposture; P. Atkins, Big Dook or Haut Monde, Sunny Blonde, Karl, Mandamus, Relative; P. Burgess. Mjzriam, Laggard, Gay Hunter; B. H. Morris, Chief Ranger, Laughing Lass, Southern Blood, Smoke Screen, Old Surrey or The Bigot; J. McCauley. Mother-in-Law; J. Forsyth, Flammarion; S. Anderson, Wananga; J. Leach, Revival; C. Thomson, Beau Gallante or Brigadore; C. McEWen, Bumble; C. Carroll, Spender: A. Jenkins, Red Sun, Gay Artist; R. Marsh, Rona Bay; G. R. Tattersail, Martara, Alby, Waitohu, The Crooner; L. A. Pine. Dungarvan; A. Russell, Royal Chief, Cerne Abbas; R. J. Machie, Travenna, Gold Boa; G. H. Humphries, Wild Chase, Paper Slipper, Haughty Winner, Rousseau; L. C. T. Wilson, Screamer, Knockfin, Epris, Last Refrain. Barrier Positions The following is the draw for positions at the post in the following races at the Timaru trotting club meeting. Timaru Nursery Stakes.—(l) Direct Parrish, (2) Abdicate, (3) Taruna, (4) Twos Loose, (5) Lord Zetland, (6) Warwick, (7) Battlevale, (8) Don Acron, <9) Florentine, (10) Jackaranda, (11) Lady Milne, (12) Parauri, (13) Waikari Jack, <l4) Dancing Pirate. (15) Perula, (16) Three Bells, (17) Sentiment, (18) Horse Power, (19) Ceres, (20) Bayard, (21) King Axworthy, (22) Southland. N.Z. Trotting Stakes.—(l) Full Fashion, (2) Sashworthy. (3) Frances Worthy, (4) Patti Melson. (5) Royal Reaper, (6) Annapolis. (7) Thor, (8) Bonny Queen, (9) Blomfleld. Wai-itl Handicap.—Limit: (1) Dundee. (2) Royal Crescent, (3) Russell, (4> Red Pigeon. (5) Precious Metal. (6) Snowy de Oro. (7) Llewellyn's Pet, (8) Civic, (9) Marie Louise, (10) Bill B. (11) Carrageen, (12) Toorak. 12yds. behind: (1) Central Parrish, (2) Slippery Sam, (3) Vanity Fair, (4) Oversight, (5) Donald Dhu. A CHANGE OF DATE By relßt/FHph ■ A asnr la non ASHBURTON, March 10. The Ashburton Racing Club has altered the date of its winter meeting from June 5 to June 26 owing to the Dunedin meeting commencing on June 9. The stakes for the Autumn Meeting, on Coronation Day, have been Increased by £350 with a sliver cup valued at £25 for the Coronation Handicap of a mile and a quarter. POSTPONED INDEFINITELY By Iplpprnph t lon INVERCARGILL, March 10. The Birchwood Hunt Club decided, on account of the heavy state of-the tracks and the Inclemency of the weather, to postpone indefinitely the annual meeting fixed for Saturday.